The Sinister Six are a group of
supervillain
A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...
s in
American comic books
An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
, mainly those featuring
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
. The members are drawn from the character's
list of enemies, with the original members forming the team in ''
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
The following is a complete list of all volumes of ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', with notes for each issue. The list is updated as of March 19, 2024.
''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962)
This comic book plot is written by Stan Lee and illustrated ...
'' #1 (October 1964). Led by
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
(introduced in issue #3), the team in its premiere followed swiftly the very early appearances of many of the most enduring members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery: the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
(issue #2), the
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
(issue #4),
Electro (issue #9),
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
(issue #13), and
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
(issue #15). While Doctor Octopus has generally remained its leader, the Sinister Six has had multiple variations of composition.
The team has been adapted into various forms of media, mainly in animated series and video games.
Publication history
The Sinister Six first appeared in ''
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
The following is a complete list of all volumes of ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', with notes for each issue. The list is updated as of March 19, 2024.
''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962)
This comic book plot is written by Stan Lee and illustrated ...
'' #1 (January 1964).
Fictional team biography
Original Sinister Six
After suffering two defeats from Spider-Man,
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
is separated from his tentacle pack. After his tentacle pack breaks free and helps Doctor Octopus get out of prison, he contacts every known supervillain who had crossed paths with Spider-Man. Only
Electro,
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
, the original
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
,
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
, and the original
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
respond. As none of the members are willing to relinquish the honor of killing Spider-Man themselves, they decide to challenge Spider-Man individually with the order in which they face him determined by a random drawing. The Sinister Six kidnap
Aunt May
Maybelle "May" Parker-Jameson (née Reilly), commonly known as Aunt May, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Making her first full appeara ...
and ''
Daily Bugle
The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB!'') is a fictional New York City tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most ...
''
secretary
A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
Betty Brant
Elizabeth "Betty" Brant-Leeds is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in stories featuring the superhero Spider-Man. She is the personal secretary of J. Jonah Jameson at the ''Daily Bugle'', ...
, holding them hostage in order to force Spider-Man to confront them. Spider-Man defeats the Sinister Six members one-by-one, mocking their decision to battle him individually instead of as a team in front of Doctor Octopus, the last one to be defeated.
"The Return of the Sinister Six"
In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #334–339, Doctor Octopus recruits Electro, Sandman, Mysterio, and Vulture, along with the demonic
Jason Macendale
Jason Philip Macendale, Jr. () is a fictional character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The character first appears in ''Machine Man'' #19 (Feb. 1981), created by writer Tom DeFal ...
version of
Hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, appearing in English folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his '' A Midsummer Nigh ...
(since Kraven the Hunter had
recently died), as part of his plan to take over the world. However, this was a trick, part of a larger plan by which Doc Ock alone would be the master of the world, by releasing a chemical into the atmosphere that would cause pain in anyone who attempted to use cocaine; he would then sell his cure for the chemical to the rich and powerful. Sandman, who at this point in his career had reformed and was blackmailed into joining, aids Spider-Man in defeating the Sinister Six, and ultimately stopping Doc Ock's plans to conquer the world. Because Octopus' chemical is eating away the ozone layer, Spider-Man has no choice but to release the cure into the atmosphere.
"Revenge of the Sinister Six"
In ''Spider-Man'' #18-23, Electro, Mysterio, Vulture, and Hobgoblin reunite in a bid to take revenge on Doctor Octopus. To trick Sandman into joining them, they hit his foster family with a bomb, leading him to believe Doctor Octopus attacked them as punishment for betraying him. Sandman contacts Spider-Man and asks him to shadow the group as insurance against him being double-crossed. Doctor Octopus easily defeats the other members of the six with his newly reacquired
adamantium
Adamantium is a fictional metal alloy, most famously appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is best known as the substance bonded to the character Wolverine's skeleton and claws.
First mention in Marvel comics
It was ...
arms, then zaps Sandman with a weapon that transforms his body into glass and beats Spider-Man nearly to death. When police surround the building, the other members of the Sinister Six agree to serve Doctor Octopus in exchange for his helping them escape. The assembled Sinister Six go off on a rampage, stealing advanced weapons and technology from several sources, including an alien dimension and a facility specializing in cybernetics. To again complete their quorum of six, they recruit
Gog. Eventually, Spider-Man and several other heroes (including the
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider is the name of multiple superheroes or antiheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider.
The first s ...
,
Deathlok
Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is the name of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first Deathlok, Luther Manning, appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #25 (Aug. 1974 ...
,
Nova
A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...
, the
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...
, and
Solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity
* Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character
* Napoleon Solo, fr ...
) confront the villains as they are seizing a
HYDRA base to gain access to deadly, world-devastating weapons. Most of the members are again incarcerated, but Vulture and Hobgoblin escape.
Sinister Seven
A variation known as the Sinister Seven is formed by Hobgoblin to fight
Kaine after he killed Doctor Octopus and the
Grim Hunter (Kraven the Hunter's son Vladimir). Hobgoblin's Sinister Seven includes
Beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
, Electro, Mysterio,
Scorpia,
Shocker, and Vulture. They finally find Kaine and a battle erupts. Spider-Man saves Kaine from being executed; the two then work together and defeat the Sinister Seven.
Sandman's Sinister Six
Eventually, the Sandman (who had been turned back into a villain by his former ally
Wizard) and the second
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
(the original had
committed suicide following his fight with
Daredevil) form a new version of the Sinister Six, with
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
temporarily replacing Doctor Octopus and the other members consisting of Electro, the second
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
(another son of the dead original), and Vulture. The Sandman uses the Sinister Six in order to get revenge on Doctor Octopus for turning him into glass in "The Revenge of the Sinister Six" storyline. The Sinister Six are defeated again, and Venom subsequently attacks the various members of the group after being betrayed by them. He nearly kills the Sandman and badly injures Electro and Kraven the Hunter before he and his symbiote are briefly separated from each other by the mysterious Senator Ward.
Sinister Twelve
In ''
Marvel Knights Spider-Man
''The Sensational Spider-Man'' (vol. 2) is a comic book series starring Spider-Man and published monthly by Marvel Comics for 41 issues between 2004 and 2007. It was originally published under the Marvel Knights imprint (as ''Marvel Knights Spi ...
'',
Norman Osborn
Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first and best-known incarnation of th ...
is unmasked to the public as the Green Goblin and imprisoned. Osborn contacts a group of supervillains who also bear grudges against Spider-Man, all of whom had been financed by Osborn's fortunes for years. Eager to retaliate, the villains agree to band together, and the Sinister Twelve is formed.
Mac Gargan
MacDonald "Mac" Gargan is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #19 (December ...
is the de facto leader of the Twelve while Osborn is in prison, and he kidnaps Peter Parker's Aunt May and threatens to kill her if Spider-Man does not help Osborn escape from jail. Spider-Man, with help from
Black Cat
A black cat is a Cat, domestic cat with black fur. They may be a specific Purebred, breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. Most black cats have golden iris (anatomy), irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Bl ...
, breaks Osborn out only to be confronted by Vulture, Sandman, Electro,
Chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
,
Lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
,
Hydro-Man
Hydro-Man (Morris "Morrie" Bench) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #212 (Januar ...
, Shocker,
Hammerhead,
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
, and
Tombstone
A gravestone or tombstone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone. An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele, stela, or slab. The us ...
. Osborn, now in the guise of the Goblin, introduces them as the Sinister Twelve.
Spider-Man and Black Cat are rescued by
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1, published on December 20, 1940, by Timely C ...
,
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...
,
Daredevil,
Yellowjacket
Yellowjacket or yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genus, genera ''Vespula'' and ''Dolichovespula''. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of ...
and the
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...
. Furious, Goblin rockets away and kidnaps
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, making her first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #25 (June 1965), and subsequent ...
and Spider-Man pursues him. Spider-Man and the Goblin clash upon a bridge (not the one where
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyne Maxine "Gwen" Stacy is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in those featuring Spider-Man (Peter Parker). A college student and the daughter of George Stacy, Georg ...
was killed). Finally, Osborn gives a vital clue as to Aunt May's whereabouts before being knocked into the river below. In the aftermath, Aunt May is found and saved. The rest of the Sinister Twelve are subdued by the other heroes and arrested.
Civil War's Sinister Six
A new version of the Sinister Six apparently bands together during the ''
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
'' storyline. The line-up consists of Doctor Octopus,
Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper is a popular personification of death in Western culture in the form of a hooded skeletal figure wearing a black robe and carrying a scythe.[Trapster
Peter Petruski is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #104 (January 1963). Petruski is one of the first supe ...]
, and Vulture. They are stopped by Captain America and his Secret Avengers off-panel and discovered bound and subdued by
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in ''Strange Tal ...
"Big Time" Sinister Six
Following the events of the "Origin of the Species" storyline which involves Doctor Octopus assembling Spider-Man's enemies into targeting
Harry Osborn
Harold Theopolis "Harry" Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing ...
's baby (who Doctor Octopus thought had some of Norman Osborn's DNA), only the Chameleon, Electro, Mysterio, the
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
, and the Sandman remain with Doctor Octopus to reform the Sinister Six when the baby does not inherit Norman Osborn's DNA. Their first plot involves sending Micro-Octobots to blow up an Air Force base. This is prevented by Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four.
Spider-Man and the
Future Foundation
The Future Foundation is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, the team first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #579 (July 2010) and stars in the series ''FF,'' wri ...
stumble on a plot on a Caribbean Island by the Sinister Six which involves the use of a zombie pirate crew. During the fight with the Sinister Six, Spider-Man realizes that the Doctor Octopus, Electro, Rhino and Sandman that they are fighting are robots, while Mysterio and the Chameleon are the only real ones present. Meanwhile, the real Doctor Octopus infiltrates the
Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictional 35-story office building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the building first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' #3 (Marc ...
to look for specific technology plans.
While the adult Avengers are dealing with the eruption of Mount Etna,
Tigra
Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Roy Thomas and artist Wally Wood (Marie Severin was then brought in to help layout the art), with her early adventur ...
and the
Avengers Academy
''Avengers Academy'' is a Marvel Comics comic book ongoing series, series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the "Heroic Age (comics), Heroic Age", and concluded after thirty-nine issues in November 2012. The series was written by Christos Gag ...
students learn that Electro has broken into a French laboratory. Once on the scene, the students discover that Electro is accompanied by the rest of the Sinister Six. The Sinister Six overpower the students and Doctor Octopus steals a device containing self-sustaining power. Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six later fight the Intelligencia where the Chameleon had infiltrated the group disguised as
Klaw
KLAW (101.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station airing a country music radio format, format licensed to Lawton, Oklahoma. The station serves the areas of Lawton; Duncan, Oklahoma; Burkburnett, Texas; and Frederick, Oklahoma, and is license ...
. After the Intelligencia members are defeated, the Sinister Six steal their Zero Cannon (a weapon which changes Earth's gravity field to send specific objects into space). Doctor Octopus later appears in a robot suit which would help to keep him alive.
Doctor Octopus and Mysterio coordinate the Octobots that have infiltrated the Apogee 1 Space Station and taken over some of the crew members. When Mysterio notices that some of the Octobots were disabled, Doctor Octopus orders the Octobots to finish their mission and then destroy the space station. When Spider-Man arrives on the Apogee 1 Space Station, Doctor Octopus pushes a button that starts to move the Apogee 1 Space Station close to Earth. After Apogee 1 Space Station is destroyed and the crew is evacuated by Spider-Man, the
Human Torch
The Human Torch (Jonathan Lowell Spencer "Johnny" Storm) is a fictional superhero character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. He is writer Stan Lee's and ar ...
and
John Jameson, Doctor Octopus tells the rest of the Sinister Six that his master plan is about to begin.
Ends of the Earth
In the "
Ends of the Earth" storyline, all of Doctor Octopus' preparations come to fruition in a plan to conquer the world. Doctor Octopus activates a giant antenna array called the ''Octahedral'' which, in turn, activates Earth-orbiting satellites he calls the ''Octavian Lens''. The Lens works to speed up the
greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases in a planet's atmosphere insulate the planet from losing heat to space, raising its surface temperature. Surface heating can happen from an internal heat source (as in the case of Jupiter) or ...
, which in turn heats up the Earth. Upon hacking into televisions around the world, Doctor Octopus describes what his satellites are doing, and shuts them down. He says he can save the world "at a price". At
Palazzo Senatorio
The Capitolium or Capitoline Hill ( ; ; ), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the Seven Hills of Rome.
The hill was earlier known as ''Mons Saturnius'', dedicated to the god Saturn. The word ''Capitolium'' first refer ...
, an international gathering of world leaders and the planet's greatest minds meet to discuss Doctor Octopus's supposed offer to save the world. The Avengers crash the assembly and Spider-Man captures the Chameleon, who is at the meeting disguised as Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
. Spider-Man lets the Chameleon go, but he secretly places a Spider-Tracer on him, which allows Spider-Man and the Avengers to follow the Chameleon to the Mediterranean Coast where the rest of the Sinister Six is waiting. The Six subdue the Avengers, leaving only Spider-Man standing. Spider-Man is taken down when trying to gain control of Doctor Octopus's tentacles with his helmet.
The Sinister Six then leave the area, and Doctor Octopus issues his demands: control of 200 missile facilities (for use in his plan), as well as 2 billion dollars for each of the members of the Sinister Six. In response, Spider-Man contacts Horizon Labs for help. Doctor Octopus sends the Sandman to guard one of the missile facilities in the Sahara Desert. After Spider-Man, the
Black Widow, and
Silver Sable
Silver Sable (Silvija Sablinova) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, Silver Sable first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #265 (June 1985). She is usually depicte ...
enter the facility and defeat the Sandman, Doctor Octopus contacts the U.N. once again and orders them to kill Spider-Man in retaliation. In a subsequent missile facility raid, Spider-Man and his allies manage to defeat the Rhino, but they are unable to capture him because they are attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D (under orders from the U.N., via Doctor Octopus's demands). Forced to flee, Spider-Man and his allies then attempt to rally support from Earth's other heroes after the
Titanium Man
The Titanium Man is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Titanium Man, Boris Bullski, first appeared in '' Tales of Suspense'' #69 (September 1965) and was created by Stan Lee and ...
alerts them to the fact that Doctor Octopus has been recruiting other villains. Tracking down a final facility, Spider-Man learns that Doctor Octopus has already launched all of his satellites. However, this is revealed to be a deception created by Mysterio and the Chameleon. Spider-Man defeats the Chameleon when he attempts to attack them in a "Doc-Ock" suit of armor. Spider-Man and his allies then convince Mysterio to help them track down Doctor Octopus's base. While they find the base, they also find themselves pitted against the 'new' Sinister Six—in the form of the mind-controlled Avengers.
Despite Doctor Octopus's confidence, the heroes prevail against their mind-controlled teammates; the Black Widow and Hawkeye are knocked out by Iron Man while he is still under Doctor Octopus's control. Spider-Man's new training, combined with Captain America subconsciously holding back, allows Spider-Man and Silver Sable to defeat
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first major version is Jessica Drew (and later impersonated by Veranke), the second major version is Julia Carpenter, and the third m ...
and Captain America, respectively. Finally, Mysterio uses an EMP generator to negate the Octobots controlling
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
, Iron Man and the
Red Hulk
The Red Hulk is an alias that is used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics: Thunderbolt Ross and Robert Maverick as well as other equivalents in specific Marvel timelines. The character has a ...
. Now "Octobot" free, these remaining three Avengers set out to take out Doctor Octopus's missiles, while Spider-Man and Silver Sable confront Doctor Octopus in his base. The two are first met by the Rhino, who decides to drown himself and take Sable with him in an attempt to psychologically beat Spider-Man into submission, but Spider-Man musters his strength, manages to destroy Doctor Octopus's arms and equipment and ultimately hauls his foe away to a doctor.
''Marvel NOW!''s Sinister Six
As part of the ''
Marvel NOW!
Marvel Now! (stylized as Marvel NOW!) is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including ''Un ...
'' event, the
Superior Spider-Man
Superior may refer to:
*Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind
Places
* Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state
*Lak ...
(Doctor Octopus's mind in Spider-Man's body) encounters a new Sinister Six consisting of Boomerang,
Overdrive, Shocker,
Speed Demon,
Living Brain
The Living Brain is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the original Living Brain first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #8 and has mad ...
, and the female
Beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
that previously fought
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1, published on December 20, 1940, by Timely C ...
and the Black Widow. The group of villains attacks Horizon Labs, but the Superior Spider-Man defeats them, using a power-dampening field to disable their equipment. He is preparing to kill Boomerang when the still-living consciousness of Peter Parker stops him. Otto gives the villains to the NYPD and the EMTs upon their arrival.
This version of the Sinister Six (minus the Living Brain) then appears in its own series ''
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man
''The Superior Foes of Spider-Man'' was an ongoing series, ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in July 2013. The series was written by Nick Spencer with artwork by Steve Lieber. It debuted as part of ''Superior Spider- ...
''. The Sinister Six later assaulted the
Owl
Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
's base. Overdrive and the Speed Demon were captured by the Owl and interrogated. The Beetle tried to blackmail the Owl into releasing them while covertly dialing for back-up. Unimpressed, the Owl got ready to execute her when reinforcements arrived in the form of Tombstone (who was revealed to be the Beetle's father). At one point to steal valuables from the Chameleon, including a portrait of Doctor Doom, the Sinister Six allied with the Owl, where they expand the group into a "Sinister Sixteen". Besides Boomerang, the Beetle, Overdrive, Owl, and Speed Demon, the group consists of
Armadillo
Armadillos () are New World placental mammals in the order (biology), order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are dis ...
,
Bi-Beast
The Bi-Beast is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Bi-Beast first appeared in ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk'' vol. 2 #169 (November 1973) and was c ...
,
Clown
A clown is a person who performs physical comedy and arts in an Improvisational theatre#Comedy, open-ended fashion, typically while wearing distinct cosmetics, makeup or costume, costuming and reversing social norm, folkway-norms. The art of ...
,
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...
,
Human Fly,
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...
,
Man Mountain Marko
Man Mountain Marko (Michael Marko) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marko was and remains an affiliate of numerous organized-crime entities in the Marvel universe, including the Maggia.
H ...
,
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', mean ...
,
Scorcher,
Shriek,
Spot
Spot or SPOT may refer to:
Places
* Spot, North Carolina, a community in the United States
* The Spot, New South Wales, a locality in Sydney, Australia
* South Pole Traverse, sometimes called the South Pole Overland Traverse
People
* Spot Coll ...
, and
Squid
A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...
. The team eventually broke up after Boomerang had thoroughly screwed over everyone, including himself.
Superior Six
Following the deletion of Peter Parker's memories and acquiring the Raft as his new base which he renamed Spider-Island II, the Superior Spider-Man begins to collect former Sinister Six members and store them in his underwater lab with the implied intention to create a new team as the Superior Spider-Man. First, he acquired the sand grain that contained the Sandman's consciousness. When Electro returned to Earth after being hurled into space by Thor, the Superior Spider-Man enlisted Thor to help defeat Electro. The Superior Spider-Man then confiscated the Chameleon from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. The Superior Spider-Man came across Mysterion (a villain that is dressed like Mysterio) robbing the bank. Upon defeating Mysterion, the Superior Spider-Man discovered that the villain he thought was Mysterio was not Quentin Beck, but an unnamed man who bought the Mysterio gear from the Hobgoblin. Finally, the Superior Spider-Man went up against the Vulture, who seeks to get even with the Superior Spider-Man for beating him up twice. The Superior Spider-Man managed to defeat the Vulture.
The Superior Spider-Man debuts with mind-controlled members as the supposedly-reformed "Superior Six" at the time when
Lightmaster invades
Alchemax
Alchemax is a fictional megacorporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally depicted as a prominent feature of the Marvel 2099 alternate future universe, it has since been introduced into the present day com ...
to obtain an invention that would work in sync with his own light powers. The Superior Six ended up fighting the
Wrecking Crew (who were hired by Lightmaster to assist him). Due to the second
Sun Girl's widespread attack, the Superior Spider-Man lost control of the Superior Six and they attacked him. The Superior Spider-Man and Sun Girl had to team up to defeat them.
Sinister Sixty-Six
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in Hoodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* ''Mojo'' (2017 film), a 2017 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by Sreesha Belakvaadi
* '' ...
and the Chameleon abduct Spider-Man and his X-Men students and force them to star in a show which pits them against the Sinister Sixty-Six. The group, which is not seen in its entirety, consists of holographic stand-ins of various enemies of Spider-Man like Beetle,
Carnage,
Demogoblin
Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Demogoblin first appeared as Demogoblin in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #86 (March 1992), and had previously appeared as an unnamed d ...
, Doctor Octopus, Duster, Electro,
Gibbon
Gibbons () are apes in the family Hylobatidae (). The family historically contained one genus, but now is split into four extant genera and 20 species. Gibbons live in subtropical and tropical forests from eastern Bangladesh and Northeast Indi ...
, Green Goblin,
Grizzly
The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.
In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horr ...
, Hammerhead, Hobgoblin,
Jackal
Jackals are Canidae, canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe Canina (subtribe), canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-b ...
,
Jack O'Lantern
A jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved lantern, most commonly made from a pumpkin, or formerly a root vegetable such as a mangelwurzel, rutabaga or turnip. Jack-o'-lanterns are associated with the Halloween holiday. Its name comes ...
,
Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter, Lizard,
Morbius the Living Vampire, Mysterio,
Puma, Rhino,
Ringer, Sandman, Scorpion, Shocker, Shriek, Sludge, Tombstone,
Vermin
Vermin (colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases and destroy crops, livestock, and property. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by regi ...
, and Vulture.
Swarm's Sinister Six
Spider-Man and the students of the
Jean Grey School for Higher Learning
X-Mansion and Xavier Institute are the common names for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier and serves as the bas ...
encounter the eighth incarnation of the Sinister Six led by
Swarm and consisting of the third
8-Ball
Eight-ball (also spelled 8-ball or eightball, and sometimes called solids and stripes, spots and stripes, bigs and smalls, big ones and little ones, or rarely highs and lows) is a discipline of pool played on a billiard table with six pocket ...
,
Delilah
Delilah ( ; , meaning "delicate";Gesenius's ''Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon'' ; ) is a woman mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. She is loved by Samson, a Nazirite who possesses great strength and serves as t ...
,
Killer Shrike, the third
Melter
The Melter is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Melter, Bruno Horgan, first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' #47 (Nov. 1963). He was both an enemy to Iron Man and a f ...
, and
Squid
A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...
. After
Hellion defeated Swarm, the other members of the Sinister Six surrendered.
Iron Spider's Sinister Six
Purchasing a recolored and modified version of the
Iron Spider
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise features many fictional elements, including locations, weapons, and artifacts. Many are based on Features of the Marvel Universe, elements that originally appeared in the American comic boo ...
armor,
Miles Morales
Spider-Man (Miles Gonzalo MoralesAhmed, Saladin (w), Garrón, Javier (a). ''Miles Morales: Spider-Man'' #1 (2018) Marvel Comics (New York). ) is a superhero and the third predominant Spider-Man to appear in American comic books published by M ...
' uncle
Aaron Davis forms his incarnation of the Sinister Six consisting of
Bombshell, the Francine Frye version of Electro, the
Roderick Kingsley
Hobgoblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most of whom are depicted as enemies of the superhero Spider-Man and belong to the collective of adversaries that make up his List of S ...
version of the Hobgoblin, Sandman, and Spot. Their first mission was to steal a decommissioned S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
Sinister Sixty
Spider-Man plays with a cancer patient named Nathan where they envision that Nathan becomes Spider-Bite and they "fight" the
Stilt-Man
S'Byll
S'Byll (sometimes spelled S'byll) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
S'Byll is a Skrull that was raised on the planet Satriani. She was responsible for curing Super-Skrull of his disease.
Si ...
's Sinister Sixty who wish to obtain Spider-Bite's action figure of Spider-Man. The line-up consists of
Absorbing Man
The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Journey into Mystery'' #114 (cover dat ...
,
Big Man,
Black Cat
A black cat is a Cat, domestic cat with black fur. They may be a specific Purebred, breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. Most black cats have golden iris (anatomy), irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Bl ...
,
Black Tarantula
Black Tarantula is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The Carlos LaMuerto version of Black Tarantula first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #419 (January 1997), and makes his f ...
,
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
,
Calypso,
Carrion
Carrion (), also known as a carcass, is the decaying flesh of dead animals.
Overview
Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures ...
,
Carnage, the
Chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
,
Demogoblin
Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Demogoblin first appeared as Demogoblin in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #86 (March 1992), and had previously appeared as an unnamed d ...
,
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
,
Doppelganger,
Electro,
Enforcers,
Fusion,
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
,
Grey Goblin,
Hammerhead,
Hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, appearing in English folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his '' A Midsummer Nigh ...
,
Hydro-Man
Hydro-Man (Morris "Morrie" Bench) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #212 (Januar ...
,
Jack O'Lantern
A jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved lantern, most commonly made from a pumpkin, or formerly a root vegetable such as a mangelwurzel, rutabaga or turnip. Jack-o'-lanterns are associated with the Halloween holiday. Its name comes ...
,
Jackal
Jackals are Canidae, canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe Canina (subtribe), canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-b ...
,
Joystick
A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...
,
Juggernaut
A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable.
This English usage originates in the mid-nineteenth century. ''Juggernaut'' is the early rendering in English ...
,
Kaine, the
Kingpin,
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
,
Kraven the Hunter II,
Kraven the Hunter III,
Lady Octopus
Lady Octopus (Carolyn Trainer), also known as Doctor Octopus II, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily as an enemy to the superheroes Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider. The character is the protég� ...
,
Lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
,
Mephisto,
Mister Negative
Mister Negative is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man, the Punisher, Shang-Chi, and Cloak and Dagger. The character was created by Dan Slott and ...
,
Molten Man
Molten Man (Mark Raxton) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Once a chemical engineer who longed to get rich, Mark Raxton was caught in an accident that saw his body get covered by an experimental ...
,
Morbius the Living Vampire,
Morlun
Morlun () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' vol. 2 #30 (June 2001).
Morlun is a centr ...
,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
,
Raptor,
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
,
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
, Sasha Kravinoff,
Scorpia,
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
,
Scream,
Screwball
A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known ...
,
Shocker,
Shriek,
Silvermane,
Sin-Eater,
Alistair Smythe
Alistair Alphonso Smythe () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the superhero Spider-Man, and the son of Spencer Smythe. After his father dedicated his li ...
,
Stunner,
Swarm,
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
,
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
,
Vermin
Vermin (colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases and destroy crops, livestock, and property. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by regi ...
, and
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
. Spider-Man and Spider-Bite defeat the Sinister Sixty at
Grand Central Station and keep the Stilt-Man from claiming the Spider-Man action figure.
Sinister War
While Doctor Octopus is discovering clues to some of his missing memories, he exhumes an unexpectedly empty casket in a cemetery.
Kindred sends one of his centipedes to enter Doctor Octopus' ear, rendering him unconscious.
In a lead-up to "
Sinister War", Kindred tells Doctor Octopus that he can help him with his memories, but he will need to gather five more people. At an unknown beach, Doctor Octopus helps Sandman with his loss of direction and promises to solve Sandman's immortality problem. Upon building a special machine, Doctor Octopus resurrects Electro with his powers intact as Kindred comments on Electro's abilities while stating that Doctor Octopus is getting closer to his true self. Doctor Octopus and Electro find
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
in the
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a fictional prehistoric land that features in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a tropical preserve, hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs in '' Uncanny X-Men'' as well as other relate ...
hunting a dinosaur. Electro shocks the dinosaur, and Doctor Octopus recruits Kraven the Hunter into the Sinister Six by promising him to hunt down the Lizard. Doctor Octopus coerces Curt Connors into using the Isotope Genome Accelerator on himself which separates him from his Lizard side. Kindred then completes the Sinister Six by having Mysterio join him as Kindred notes that his endgame with Spider-Man is approaching.
When the
Savage Six
The Savage Six is the name of two different supervillain groups appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Earth-982 version of the Savage Six first appeared in ''Spider-Girl (comic book), Spider-Girl'' # ...
attacks the world premiere of a film that Mary Jane Watson and a disguised Mysterio were involved in, the Sinister Six intervenes in order to get Mysterio in their ranks despite Spider-Man's intervention. Mysterio complies with Doctor Octopus and teleports Mary Jane away while Doctor Octopus knocks out Spider-Man. Kindred kept the Savage Six on the reserve should the
Foreigner's group, the Superior Foes, and the
Sinister Syndicate
The Sinister Syndicate is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters serve as a collection of lesser-known Spider-Man villains. The group was the focus of the 1991 ''Deadly Foes of Spider ...
fail to eliminate Spider-Man. Badly wounded, Peter is relieved to find the Black Cat, Wolverine, and the Human Torch have arrived to help, unaware that they are Mysterio, the Lizard, and Electro in illusion disguises created by the former. The Lizard springs their trap too early by attacking Peter, much to Mysterio's annoyance. Peter fends off the Sinister Six until Doctor Octopus ensnares him with his tentacles. Peter attempts to appeal to Doctor Octopus' better nature, telling him that he is not like this anymore. Doctor Octopus briefly hesitates, but mounting pressure from the rest of the Sinister Six compels him to act, though this buys Peter enough time to break free. The Savage Six then attack the Sinister Six, giving Peter time to escape. Ultimately, Doctor Octopus knocks all the other villains out using Black Ant's technology when he determines that Kindred planted some of his centipedes in the brains of every villain present, Octavius declaring that he dislikes being used even if he declines to help Peter further.
Squid Kid's Sinister Six
A.I.M. operative and self-proclaimed
Scientist Supreme
The Scientist Supreme is a name of several characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Description
The Scientist Supreme is often described to be the top leader of A.I.M., and can also be described to be the scientifi ...
Squid Kid later formed his incarnation of the Sinister Six and consisted of Apostate, Mysteriant, Rhinoceress, Willow-Wasp, and an amnesiac
Billy Connors
William Joseph Connors (November 2, 1941 – June 18, 2018) was an American player, coach and front office official in professional baseball. A pitcher born in Schenectady, New York, he threw and batted right-handed, stood tall and weighed i ...
who operated as Lizard Boy. They targeted Stanley Osborn only to fight the students of
Avengers Academy
''Avengers Academy'' is a Marvel Comics comic book ongoing series, series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the "Heroic Age (comics), Heroic Age", and concluded after thirty-nine issues in November 2012. The series was written by Christos Gag ...
.
Membership
Other versions
Age of Apocalypse
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appears in the "
Age of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comic ...
" 10th anniversary limited series. This version of the group is assembled by
Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister (Dr. Nathaniel Essex) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri, the character was first mentioned as the employer behind the team ...
and consists of
Cloak and Dagger
"Cloak and dagger" was a fighting style common by the time of the Renaissance involving a knife hidden beneath a cloak. The term later came into use as a metaphor, referring to situations involving intrigue, secrecy, espionage, or mystery.
Over ...
,
Sonique,
Sauron
Sauron () is the title character and the main antagonist of J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'', where he rules the land of Mordor. He has the ambition of ruling the whole of Middle-earth, using the power of the One Ring, which he ...
, the
Blob, and
Phoenix.
Avataars: Covenant of the Shield
A medieval fantasy-inspired iteration of the Sinister Six called the Six Most Sinister appear in ''
Avataars: Covenant of the Shield'' #2, led by the Goblin King and consisting of the Huntsman, Jolt, Mysterium, Sandstorm, Talon, and Tentaclus. This version of the group operate a tollbooth in the Webwood.
Marvel 1602
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six from
Earth-311 called the Sinister Sextet appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (vol. 4) #1, consisting of Canice Cassidy, Electro, the Hobgoblin, Karnov, Magus, and the Serpent.
Marvel 2099
A future iteration of the Sinister Six from a
Marvel 2099
Marvel 2099 was a Marvel Comics imprint, started in 1992, that was originally about one possible future of the Marvel Universe, but later revealed to be the Earth of the main Marvel continuity in the distant future. It was originally announced ...
-related timeline appears in ''Spider-Man 2099'' (vol. 3) #11-12, consisting of
Venom 2099
Venom, also known formally as "The Symbiote (comics), Symbiote", is a Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a sentient alien symbiote with an amorphous, liquid-like form, who ...
, the
Goblin 2099,
Doctor Octopus 2099, the
Vulture 2099,
Electro 2099, and the Sandwoman. After the Goblin is revealed to be a mole helping
Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Man 2099 is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi in 1992 for the Marvel 2099 comic book line, and he is a futuristic re-imagining of the origin ...
, he is killed by Doctor Octopus and replaced with Venture.
Marvel Zombies
* A zombified iteration of the Sinister Six make a minor appearance in ''
Marvel Zombies
''Marvel Zombies'' is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the ''Ma ...
: Dead Days'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, the Vulture, the Sandman, Electro, and Mysterio.
* An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel Zombies Return'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Sandman, the Vulture, Mysterio, Electro, and Kraven the Hunter. This version of the group work for the Kingpin until all except the Sandman are attacked and converted by a dimension-hopping zombified Spider-Man.
Secret Wars (2015)
Three iterations of the Sinister Six from
Battleworld
''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'', is a 12-issue American comic book Fictional crossover, crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter ...
appear in "
Secret Wars
''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'', is a 12-issue American comic book Fictional crossover, crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter ...
" (2015).
* The first iteration appears in issue #2 of the ''Spider-Verse'' tie-in, consisting of Doctor Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, the Scorpion, Mysterio, the Shocker, and the Vulture. This version of the group hail from the Battleworld domain of Arachnia and work for Mayor Norman Osborn. Additionally, the fugitive
Spider-Gwen
''Spider-Gwen'' (also titled ''Radioactive Spider-Gwen'', ''Ghost-Spider'', and ''Gwenom'') is an ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics that began February 2015. The series revolves around Gwen Stacy of Earth-65, an alternate un ...
,
Spider-UK,
Spider-Man Noir
Spider-Man Noir (Peter Parker), often referred to as Spider-Noir, Spider-Man, or simply Noir, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Part of the Marvel Noir universe (Earth-90214), this alternate version of ...
,
Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl is the code name of several fictional Character (arts), characters in American comic book, comic books published by Marvel Comics. The most prominent version and first to receive an ongoing series is Mayday Parker from the Marvel Co ...
,
Spider-Man India, and
Spider-Ham
Spider-Ham (Peter Porker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is an anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic pig and is a cartoon animal parody version of Spider-Man. He was created by Larry Hama, T ...
are referred to by Osborn as the Sinister Six.
* The second iteration appears in ''
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows'' (vol. 1) #2, consisting of Doctor Octopus, Kraven the Hunter, the Hobgoblin, Mysterio, the Shocker, and the Vulture. This version of the group hail from the Battleworld domain of the Regency, all wield advanced technology, and work for the
Regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
. Additionally, they are tasked with capturing naturally powered superhumans. After being tasked with capturing the recently resurfaced Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus is killed, the Hobgoblin is caught in an explosion, and the Vulture is incapacitated. In response, the Regent recruits the Beetle, Boomerang, and the Rhino to replace them, though the group is defeated by Spider-Man and the Avengers.
Spider's Shadow
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appear in the ''Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow'' miniseries, formed and led by J. Jonah Jameson / Spider-Slayer and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Rhino, Electro, Mysterio, and Kraven the Hunter. This version of the group was formed in response to Peter Parker fully bonding to his symbiote suit and killing or assaulting his enemies. After Eddie Brock kills Octavius in an attempt to join the group, Parker grievously injures him and kills the Rhino, Electro, and Mysterio before a burning building forces the symbiote off of Parker. Realizing he was wrong about him, Jameson saves Parker while Kraven retreats.
Spider-Man: Reign
A possible future iteration of the Sinister Six called the "Sinner Six" appears in ''
Spider-Man: Reign'', consisting of the Scorpion, Electro, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, the Sandman, and Hydro-Man. This version of the group were forcibly recruited by New York's fascist mayor Mayor Waters via microchips implanted in their bodies that are rigged to detonate should they attempt to leave the city and tasked with killing Spider-Man in exchange for their freedom. Over the course of the series, Spider-Man defenestrates the Scorpion and kills Electro and Hydro-Man before subduing Kraven and Mysterio. While Spider-Man is confronting Waters, Sandman sacrifices himself to get the former the detonator.
Spider-Man Adventures
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appears in the ''Spider-Man Adventures'' magazine, formed by
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #5 in April 1962, and has since endured as the arch ...
and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, Electro, the Rhino, the Sandman, and Eddie Brock / Venom.
Spider-Verse
A
steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and Applied arts, aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century Industrial Revolution, industrial steam engine, steam-powered machinery. Steampun ...
-themed iteration of the Sinister Six from Earth-803 called the Six Men of Sinestry appears in ''
Spider-Verse
Spider-Verse is a comic book series issued by Marvel Comics since 2014. Its first major event/storyline started on November 5 in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (2014) No. 9 along with an individual issue named ''Spider-Verse Team-Up''. This event ...
'' #1 and the accompanying ''Spider-Man 2099'' tie-in, led by the Green Goblin and consisting of Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, and the Vulture.
Spider-Ham
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six called the Swinester Six from Earth-8311 appear in the ''
Spider-Ham 25th Anniversary Special'', consisting of the Green Gobbler, Doctor Octopuss, Sandmanatee, Eelectro, the Buzzard, and Mysteriape.
Ultimate Marvel
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six from Earth-1610 called the
Ultimate Six
''Ultimate Six'' is a seven-issue comic book limited series and crossover between Spider-Man and the Ultimates (2003), featuring the Ultimate Marvel version of the Sinister Six. The series was written by Brian Michael Bendis, penciled by Trevor H ...
appears in the
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe, later known as the ...
imprint, initially consisting of the
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
,
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
,
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
,
Electro, and the
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
, with
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
as a temporary member. This version of the group illegally altered their genetic codes, which led to them being defeated by Spider-Man and the
Ultimates
The Ultimates is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from ''The Ultimates (comic book), The Ultimates'' ...
and incarcerated by
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in ''Strange Tal ...
They would later break out of prison and recruit the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
to help them seek revenge on Spider-Man. When Doctor Octopus starts to have second thoughts due to his and the Goblin's role in creating Spider-Man, the Goblin kills Doctor Octopus before the remaining members receive help from
Elijah Stern. However, all but the Goblin are defeated by Spider-Man,
Johnny Storm,
Bobby Drake, and
May Parker
Maybelle "May" Parker-Jameson (née Reilly), commonly known as Aunt May, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Making her first full appeara ...
while Spider-Man eventually kills the Goblin.
Ultimate Universe
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six from
Earth-6160
The Ultimate Universe is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2023; the imprint is overseen by writer Jonathan Hickman. It reimagines several classic Marvel characters in a new fictional Fictional universe#Fictional c ...
appears in ''
Ultimate Spider-Man
''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate Ma ...
'' (vol. 3), led by
Wilson Fisk and consisting of
Mister Negative
Mister Negative is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man, the Punisher, Shang-Chi, and Cloak and Dagger. The character was created by Dan Slott and ...
,
Walter Hardy
Walter Hardy is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a world-renowned cat burglar and the father of Felicia Hardy, also known as the Black Cat (Marvel Comics), Black Cat.
In the adaptations '' ...
,
Sergei Kravinoff,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
, and
Mole Man
The Mole Man (Harvey Rupert Elder) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is depicted as a recurring foe of the Fantastic Four and was the first villain they ever faced. His schemes usually consist of ...
. This version of the group control New York's criminal underworld via its boroughs, with Fisk controlling Manhattan, Negative controlling Queens, Hardy controlling the Bronx, Kravinoff controlling Staten Island, Mysterio controlling Brooklyn, and Mole Man controlling New York's underground. Additionally, Fisk forms the group to counter emerging vigilantes
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
and
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
.
In other media
Television
* The Sinister Six, renamed the Insidious Six, appear in ''
Spider-Man: The Animated Series''. Formed in their self-titled episode and the episode "Battle of the Insidious Six", the
Kingpin assembles
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
, the
Shocker, the
Chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
, the
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
, and the
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
to help him settle a debt with his enemy
Silvermane. When the group realize the connection between Peter Parker photographing Spider-Man, the Insidious Six overpower and unmask him due to the hero's temporary loss of powers at the time, only to assume Parker came to fight them himself because he could not find the real Spider-Man. Later on, Spider-Man is able to strategically defeat them when his powers partially return. The Insidious Six return in the five-part episode "Six Forgotten Warriors", with the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
replacing Mysterio, who died in a previous episode. They attempt to help the Kingpin unlock a doomsday machine, but the Chameleon betrays the group to help his foster father, the
Red Skull
The Red Skull is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by France Herron, Jack Kirby, and Joe Simon, the character first appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 (March 1941), in ...
. After the team is defeated again, it is disbanded for good and its members return to their own lives.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
The Spectacular Spider-Man
''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' is a comic book and magazine series starring Spider-Man and published by Marvel Comics.
Following the success of Spider-Man's original series, ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', Marvel felt the character could support ...
''. Introduced in the episode "Group Therapy", Doctor Octopus,
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
, the
Shocker, the Vulture, the Rhino, and
Electro pool their resources together and organize a jail break via
Hammerhead, then go after Spider-Man, though they are defeated by his
symbiote suit. In the episode "Reinforcement", Doc Ock assumes the Master Planner alias and arranges for the Sinister Six's reformation, now with
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
and Mysterio replacing Shocker while Doc Ock himself oversees their work from the shadows. The Sinister Six are again defeated by Spider-Man, though only Mysterio is arrested as the others escaped before the police arrived. In the episode "Shear Strength", the remaining members help Doc Ock with his plan to take over the world by hacking into the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
's servers, but Spider-Man thwarts them and captures Electro. After Sandman fakes his death in the episode "First Steps" and Spider-Man captures the Rhino in the episode "Accomplices", Spider-Man later defeats the Vulture and Doc Ock and sees them arrested in the episode "Gangland".
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Ultimate Spider-Man
''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate Ma ...
''. Introduced in their self-titled episode, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, the Rhino, the
Beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
, and a mind-controlled
Lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
attack Spider-Man. While he defeats them with help from his fellow
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in ''Strange Tal ...
trainees, the Lizard escapes while the others are arrested. In the episode "Return of the Sinister Six", Doc Ock reforms the team with the
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
replacing the Beetle and provides them all with high-tech armor made from stolen
Oscorp
Oscorp (sometimes stylized as OsCorp), also known as Oscorp Industries, is a fictional multibillion-dollar multinational corporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, predominantly in stories about Spider-Man. The compa ...
technology, but they are defeated by Spider-Man and his team again, with help from
Iron Patriot
Icarus
Icarus (Joshua "Jay" Guthrie) is a mutant superhero. He was a member of the student body at the Xavier Institute and a member of the New Mutants training squad. Jay was the son of Thomas and Lucinda Guthrie. Thomas dies early in Jay's lif ...
. Doc Ock spends the fourth season, ''Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six'', secretly forming a Sinister Seven with help from
HYDRA. While Spider-Man and the Web Warriors defeat and capture supervillains to thin out Doc Ock's potential candidates, the villain goes on to recruit Kraven, Electro, a
demonic Green Goblin from
another universe,
Hydro-Man
Hydro-Man (Morris "Morrie" Bench) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #212 (Januar ...
, and a mind-controlled Rhino; with
Scarlet Spider
The Scarlet Spider is an alias used by several fictional Character (arts), characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker, both of whom are genetic clones of Peter Parker, the sup ...
serving as a mole within Spider-Man's team. The Sinister Seven is defeated by Spider-Man and his allies in the two-part episode "The New Sinister Six" after Scarlet Spider defects to the heroes' side, though Doc Ock escapes. In the two-part series finale, "Graduation Day", Doc Ock forms the Superior Sinister Six with Kraven, the Scorpion, and a mind-controlled Vulture, Rhino, and
Crossbones mutated into a new Lizard to eliminate Spider-Man after learning his secret identity. Spider-Man defeats them once more, freeing the brainwashed villains from Doc Ock's control before persuading him to surrender.
* The Sinister Six appears in ''
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
'' (2017). Introduced in the episode "The Rise of Doc Ock" Pt. 4, they were originally the Osborn Commandos, a fighting force brought together by Norman Osborn and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, the Rhino,
Alistair Smythe
Alistair Alphonso Smythe () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of the superhero Spider-Man, and the son of Spencer Smythe. After his father dedicated his li ...
, and
Steel Spider
Steel Spider (Oliver "Ollie" Osnick) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Oliver Osnnick started out as a teenager who idolized Doctor Octopus until Spider-Man saved him following a misunderstanding and he ...
. However, Doc Ock goes rogue and places the team under mind control, re-branding the team as the Sinister Five. In the episode "Hobgoblin" Pt. 1, Doc Ock also places Spider-Man under mind control and has him join the team to make it the Sinister Six. However,
Harry Osborn
Harold Theopolis "Harry" Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing ...
becomes the
Hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, appearing in English folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his '' A Midsummer Nigh ...
and frees Spider-Man and the rest of the team from Doc Ock's control. All of the group's members are defeated and arrested by the end of the first season.
Film
''Amazing Spider-Man'' series
In December 2013, Sony announced two spin-offs of ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...
'' franchise, ''The Sinister Six'' and ''Venom'', with
Drew Goddard
Andrew Brion Hogan Goddard (born February 26, 1975) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer most closely associated with the horror genre. He began his career writing episodes for the television shows '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ...
attached to write and direct the former. Throughout the live-action film ''
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
''The Amazing Spider-Man 2'' (internationally titled ''The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro'') is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Marvel En ...
'', a line-up for the team was teased. During the end credits, weapons and technology belonging to the
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
, the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
,
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
, and
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
were revealed, confirming them as members, with the
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
serving as the leader. However, this line-up is left to be debated as Goddard stated he wanted to adopt a more classic adaptation of the group which would have included
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
and Doc Ock as the leader. The film was said to be a redemption story for the characters, and would probably not feature
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
. As the Sinister Six's original goal, however, was to kill him, there would seem to be a chance that he would appear. The film was originally scheduled for release on November 11, 2016. However, following the announcement in February 2015 of a new Spider-Man franchise with
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
, the spin-offs were postponed and eventually canceled.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
In an email from
Amy Pascal leaked during the
Sony Pictures hack
On November 24, 2014, the hacker group " Guardians of Peace" leaked confidential data from the film studio Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). The data included employee emails, personal and family information, executive salaries, copies of th ...
, Pascal revealed that she planned for Tom Holland's
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
to appear in a ''Sinister Six'' film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe dependent on the success of the then-upcoming licensing agreement with Marvel Studios.
Sony's Spider-Man Universe
Following the collaboration between
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...
and Sony Pictures, many spin-offs that had been in development before were revived, with the first of these, the live-action film ''
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
'', being released on October 5, 2018. Sony's December 2013 plans for their own expanded universe included a film based on the Sinister Six, with
Drew Goddard
Andrew Brion Hogan Goddard (born February 26, 1975) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer most closely associated with the horror genre. He began his career writing episodes for the television shows '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ...
attached to write and potentially direct.
Goddard was confirmed to be directing the film in April 2014.
The film was believed to have been canceled by November 2015 when Sony was focusing on its new reboot with Marvel.
In October 2018, Goddard acknowledged that his script could eventually be used for a film. By December of the same year, producer Amy Pascal confirmed that the studio intends to use the script in an upcoming project and expressed the company's desire for the filmmaker to direct the film as well.
In the
post-credits scene
A post-credits scene (also known as a stinger, end tag, or credit cookie) is a short teaser clip that appears after the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV show, or video game has run. It is usually ...
of ''
Morbius
Morbius (born Michael Morbius, also known as Morgan Michaels, Morbius the Living Vampire and Nikos Michaels) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and originally designed by pen ...
'' (2022),
Adrian Toomes
The Vulture is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most of whom are depicted as recurring List of Spider-Man enemies, enemies of the superhero Spider-Man and part of his adversaries co ...
from the MCU approaches Dr.
Michael Morbius in an effort to form a team. The team is intended to be the Sinister Six, with director
Daniel Espinosa
Jorge Daniel Espinosa (born 23 March 1977) is a Swedish film director from Trångsund, Stockholm, of Chilean origin.
Early life
He attended the National Film School of Denmark and graduated in 2001.
Career
His third feature film, '' Easy Mo ...
expressing interest in having
Norman Osborn
Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first and best-known incarnation of th ...
be part of the group.
Following the financial failures of ''
Madame Web
Madame Web (Cassandra Webb) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' No. 210, published November 1980, and was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist John ...
'' and ''
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
'', and the underperformance of ''
Venom: The Last Dance'', it was announced that Sony would cease making spin-off films that did not feature Spider-Man, most likely including this film.
Video games
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six'', consisting of
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
,
Electro,
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
, the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
, and the
Hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, appearing in English folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his '' A Midsummer Nigh ...
.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Spider-Man 2: The Sinister Six'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Sandman, the Vulture, the
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
, and
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
.
* The Sinister Six appear in the interactive
DOS
DOS (, ) is a family of disk-based operating systems for IBM PC compatible computers. The DOS family primarily consists of IBM PC DOS and a rebranded version, Microsoft's MS-DOS, both of which were introduced in 1981. Later compatible syste ...
game ''Spider-Man: The Sinister Six'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the
Chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
, Mysterio, the Hobgoblin, the Vulture, and the
Shocker.
* A multiversal Sinister Six appear in ''
Spider-Man Unlimited'', consisting of several multiversal versions of the
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
, the Vulture, Electro, Sandman, Doctor Octopus, and Mysterio. They came together to invade multiple dimensions and harvest iso-8 crystals, with an army of "Sinister Soldiers" aiding them in their conquest.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel: Avengers Alliance'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, the
Lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
, and Electro. They aim to capture a Spider-Man, many of whom have been gathering because of the threat of
Karn of the Inheritors, and sacrifice them to Doctor Octopus' machine to hide their dimension from the threat of incursions.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure game, action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xb ...
'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Electro, and Vulture.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel: Contest of Champions'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin,
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
, Electro, the Vulture, and the
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
. They are hired by the
Grandmaster to eliminate Spider-powered champions. The team re-appear in a promotional video, with Mysterio replacing Venom.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel: Future Fight'', consisting of Mysterio disguised as Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, the Rhino, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, and the Lizard. They collaborate with
A.I.M., but are eventually defeated by Spider-Man and his allies.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel Strike Force
''Marvel Strike Force'' is a turn-based role-playing mobile game by FoxNext (later acquired by Scopely) for Android, iOS, and iPadOS platforms. The game was launched worldwide on March 28, 2018, and is primarily set in the Marvel Universe.
Pre ...
'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, the Rhino, Mysterio, the Shocker, and the Vulture. Additionally, Electro and
Swarm appear as optional members.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel's Spider-Man
''Marvel's Spider-Man'' is a series of Superhero fiction, superhero Action-adventure game, action-adventure video games developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) for PlayStation consoles and Windows. Base ...
'', consisting of Doctor Octopus, Electro, the Rhino, the Scorpion, the Vulture, and
Mister Negative
Mister Negative is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man, the Punisher, Shang-Chi, and Cloak and Dagger. The character was created by Dan Slott and ...
. Everyone but Doc Ock were originally imprisoned at the
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is usually of basic design, characterized by the absence of a hull. Rafts are usually kept afloat by using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barre ...
before the latter releases and recruits them in an attempt to exact revenge on his former business partner-turned-mayor, Norman Osborn. While he shares this goal with Mister Negative, he promises the others their greatest desires in exchange for their assistance. The group clashes with
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
when he interferes, though they easily defeat him during their first fight. Following this, the Sinister Six split up to attack different
Oscorp
Oscorp (sometimes stylized as OsCorp), also known as Oscorp Industries, is a fictional multibillion-dollar multinational corporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, predominantly in stories about Spider-Man. The compa ...
properties while Doctor Octopus secures the company's Devil's Breath virus and releases it in Times Square in an attempt to expose Norman's crimes, infecting numerous people and causing Manhattan to descend into chaos. After capturing the Vulture, Electro, the Rhino, and the Scorpion, Spider-Man defeats Mister Negative before he can steal the antidote for Devil's Breath, but Doctor Octopus escapes with it and Norman. Spider-Man is eventually able to save Norman, reclaim the antidote, and defeat Doctor Octopus. By the end of the game, the Sinister Six are re-captured and re-imprisoned at the Raft, although their mission was a partial success, as Norman resigns from the mayor's office out of shame.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order'', consisting of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Mysterio, Electro, and Venom. The Goblin freed the other members from the Raft after obtaining the
Time Stone and they took over the prison. After a team of heroes, including Spider-Man, arrive at the prison to secure the inmates, Venom defects to the heroes' side at Spider-Man's behest while the remaining Sinister Six members are defeated and imprisoned once more.
Miscellaneous
* The Sinister Six appear in
Adam-Troy Castro's trilogy of ''Spider-Man'' novels, consisting of
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''The Amazin ...
, the
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
,
Electro,
Mysterio
Mysterio is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is one of the super ...
, the
Chameleon
Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
, and an original character called Pity. This version of the group is formed by the
Gentleman
''Gentleman'' (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man; abbreviated ''gent.'') is a term for a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire ...
, who wishes to kill Peter Parker as revenge for the actions of his parents,
Richard and Mary Parker, in the 1960s and cause a global financial collapse via an electromagnetic generator powered by Electro to erase all digital records and an ink-destroying catalyst to erase all paper records. The Vulture, Electro and Mysterio are defeated before the generator can be activated and Spider-Man convinces Pity to help him find the Gentleman when he realizes that Doctor Octopus will seek revenge on him for his arrogance, only to learn that the Chameleon had already killed the Gentleman for the same reason.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'', consisting of Electro,
Carnage,
Swarm,
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, th ...
, the
Lizard
Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
, and an original character called Swiss Miss. This version of the group were all originally research scientists who were transformed by the
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the first and best-known incarnation of the Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, ...
as punishment for abandoning
Osborn Industries and to destroy Spider-Man.
* The Sinister Six appear in ''
Marvel Universe Live!
''Marvel Universe Live!'', stylized as ''Marvel Universe LIVE!'', is a touring live action arena show featuring Marvel Comics characters by Feld Entertainment. So far there have been two shows under the banner, the original and "Age of Heroes".
Ma ...
'', consisting of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, the
Rhino
A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...
, the Lizard, Electro, and the
Black Cat
A black cat is a Cat, domestic cat with black fur. They may be a specific Purebred, breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. Most black cats have golden iris (anatomy), irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Bl ...
. They seek to claim a fragment of the recently shattered
Cosmic Cube
The Cosmic Cube is a fictional object appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. There are multiple Cubes in the Marvel Universe, all of which are depicted as containment devices that can empower whoever wields them. Although th ...
, only to be defeated by Spider-Man and
Thor
Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
.
* The Sinister Six appear in the "Return of the Sinister Six" expansion pack for the ''Marvel United''
CMON Limited
CMON Limited, formerly known as CoolMiniOrNot is a publicly listed miniatures and board game publisher, trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It also operates a miniatures related site coolminiornot.com that features user submitted images of t ...
board game,
consisting of Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, the
Sandman
The Sandman is a mythical character originating in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore who puts people to sleep and encourages and inspires beautiful dreams by sprinkling magical sand onto their eyes.
Representation in traditional folklore
The San ...
, and the Vulture.
See also
*
Sinister Syndicate
The Sinister Syndicate is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters serve as a collection of lesser-known Spider-Man villains. The group was the focus of the 1991 ''Deadly Foes of Spider ...
– a similar group of Spider-Man villains assembled by the Beetle
*
Savage Six
The Savage Six is the name of two different supervillain groups appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Earth-982 version of the Savage Six first appeared in ''Spider-Girl (comic book), Spider-Girl'' # ...
– two similar groups of villains assembled to fight
Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl is the code name of several fictional Character (arts), characters in American comic book, comic books published by Marvel Comics. The most prominent version and first to receive an ongoing series is Mayday Parker from the Marvel Co ...
and
Agent Venom
Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962).
Flash Thompson is a sta ...
References
External links
Sinister Sixat Marvel.com
on Marvel Appendix
*
{{Steve Ditko
Comics characters introduced in 1964
Marvel Comics supervillain teams
Villains in animated television series
Characters created by Stan Lee
Characters created by Steve Ditko
Spider-Man characters
Supervillains with their own comic book titles
Kraven the Hunter
Fictional sextets